Going to the Chapel
by Raynbowz
Summary: Adora is hunted by a mysterious stranger . . . or is he more familiar than she thinks? Third in the Adora series. Many thanks to CertifiedGeek and D for betas and suggestions.
1. Chapter 1

Going to the Chapel

A Doctor Who story

1—A Case of Mistaken Identity

Adora sighed, putting down the book she had been reading. It was late evening on Renstigon and though she was tired it was too hot to sleep. There wasn't so much as a breath of breeze and she had never liked being too warm, so she had been trying to distract herself. She'd gone out on the porch, she'd gotten a cold drink and turned on some fans and she'd tried reading, but nothing was working.

 _Forget this!_ she told herself. _I'm going to take a nice, cold shower and then I'll feel better._

Adora got up and went into the house. She picked out a sheer, short nightgown for when she got out of the shower, knowing that though she might not be presentable she would be cool. The chances of getting company were slim; the closest neighbor was two miles down the road in one direction and three in the other. She undressed, placed her clothes in the hamper next to the toilet and got in the shower, turning the water as cold as it would go and wet her mass of black ringlet curls to rinse the day out of them. She hummed a little as she cooled off, turned off the water and reached for some citrus-scented body oil . . . and screamed as she was startled by some strange man standing in her bathroom staring at her! She backed into the shower stall and then . . .

"Hush, Adora!" the man told her, "There's no need to be alarmed."

"Who . . . who are you? What do you want?"

The man, who was of medium height and weight with a receding hairline and hard blue eyes scanned her again and answered, "It's me, Adora—the Doctor! Who else would it be?"

"Doctor? Oh, thank Rassilon it's you! Where are the boys? Are they all right?"

"The boys are fine," the Doctor told her, chuckling. "I had no idea I would find you like this, but it is a pleasing way for us to get . . . reconnected."

Adora felt uncomfortable. The Doctor seemed to be paying far too much attention to her state of dress and not in a pleasant way. This regeneration must be very different from the one she had known and she felt it was not an improvement. She reached for a towel to cover herself and asked worriedly, "They aren't right behind you, are they? They don't need to see me like this . . . I would just die. They are, aren't they?"

"They aren't, Adora . . . no need to worry about modesty, at least not for their sakes. Or for mine, actually." The Doctor still had a lustful smirk on his face.

"How many regenerations have you had since I last saw you?" Adora asked. "And the boys? They haven't regenerated, have they? You should have told me . . ."

"Adora, don't worry your pretty head about them. They're busy on their own pursuits at the moment; I wanted to see you."

"And you couldn't wait until I got out?" she asked, annoyed. She passed by the Doctor to her bedroom, deciding against the nightgown she had picked out. Part of her wished she had a thick sweatshirt, a coverall, even armor to grab, anything to get the Doctor's attention off her body.

The Doctor frowned as he followed her into the bedroom. "Relax, Adora; I've already seen everything you display, though I am happy to get a chance at the display again."

Adora threw on her winter robe and whirled to face him. "What do you want?" she snapped.

"Does a man need a reason to visit his lovely wife?" the Doctor questioned, still frowning. He held out a hand and after a minute Adora took it. He stroked her hand for a moment, then dropped it. "I need something from you," he admitted.

"What would that be?" Adora asked suspiciously. Something just wasn't right, but she couldn't put her finger on it. For now though, she would play along and see what she could do.

"I know we've had problems before, but I really need you to come and—"

"No! Not again! When will you learn that—"

"It's important, Adora!" the Doctor snapped. "Do you think I would come here looking for a pleasure cruise? We've gone that route, part of why you resent me now."

"I don't resent you!" Adora fired back. "How many times do we have to go through this? It's like we're stuck back on that horrible swan ride the boys made us go on! Hear me, Doctor and hear me well—I. Don't. Want. Adventure!"

The Doctor stared at her fiercely. "This isn't about adventure, Adora! We're talking about a Universe-changing chain of events. I'm not asking for myself, not even for the boys. It's _important_. I can't tell you how much this matters. Come with me, Adora."

Adora sighed, all her fight gone. "Right this second?"

"I can give you thirty hours, Adora, that's all I can spare. One day. I'll be back this time tomorrow, and I will expect you to be ready."

Adora nodded, ashamed and defeated. "Tomorrow. I'll be ready."

The Doctor gave a curt nod, then exited the room.

The night was long. Adora didn't even try to sleep; she was too upset at losing her peace, at having to go along with someone she already felt uncomfortable around, at the unfairness of the Universe. Was it too much to ask to have a decade or so of relative stability? For Rassilon's sake, it had only been six years since she'd last seen the Doctor. Six years! It just wasn't right.

She went into the city that morning to make some arrangements. Her mail would have to be stopped. Someone would have to keep an eye on the house and hopefully keep her garden alive. She bought a large supply of Earl Grey tea just in case she couldn't find any wherever they would be going, packed up a suitcase with her favorite clothing and sent a message to her agent to let him know she would be off-planet.

Around three in the afternoon she heard the familiar, wheezing whine of the TARDIS engines as the craft landed in the yard. She instantly became angry; he hadn't even given her the courtesy of a day to prepare as he had promised. She marched up to the door of the TARDIS and yelled, "How dare you! You promised me one day, and you can't even—"

A familiar tall-framed man with unruly brown hair, freckles, and deep brown eyes bounded out of the TARDIS, calling out, "Adora! It's good to see you again . . . but were you actually expecting us? How could that be?"

Adora stopped dead where she was. "It's you! But you came last night . . . you came in my bathroom and stared at me like a lecherous old man and told me to be ready for you to come tonight . . ."

The Doctor looked puzzled. "What? Adora, I wasn't here last night. I was on Earth, making some last-minute adjustments for . . . Adora, I swear it wasn't me! Did it look like me?"

Adora shook her head. "You said you regenerated . . ."

"What about the TARDIS? Did you see it?" The Doctor was clearly worried now.

"No," Adora confessed, starting to shake. "If it wasn't you, then who . . ."

The Doctor stepped out of his TARDIS and pulled her in for a hug. "I have no idea, but I'm glad I'm here now. Whoever it was is potentially dangerous. I came here to take you anyway, but especially now you've got to come; you aren't safe here until we know who that was. Can you secure your TARDIS?"

"It's in the attic, looks like an old, full-length mirror."

"It should be safe enough. Do you need to pack?"

"I already packed; you—well, someone who claimed to _be_ you said I had to be ready by tonight and I've spent most of the day preparing. Doctor, who _was_ it?"

"I have no idea, but I'll keep you safe until we can find out."

"Why did you come, then? What brought you here?"

The Doctor grinned. "You're going to _love_ this—Kenarn's getting married! He wants you to be there, of course, and I was sent to fetch you. We'll figure out what's going on, rest assured, but right now there's a wedding waiting for us. I'm going to scan your house quickly for any traces of your mysterious stranger and Thalmidor can . . . Thalmidor! Take your mother inside and bring her things; some very unsavory character showed up here last night and I want to get a read on who it might have been."

The Doctor waited a minute, then stepped back into his TARDIS, calling, "Thalmidor! Come get your mother and her things!"

He came back out with a hand scanner and started for the house. A minute behind him came another tall, brown-haired man with freckles and dark eyes. He smiled broadly and bent down to kiss Adora's cheek. "Mother, you're looking well. Where are your things? And Father said something about an intruder?"

"My suitcases are on the verandah, Thalmidor, and your father's dealing with the intruder matter. You look just the same! How long has it been?"

"We've been traveling for fifteen years, Mother. Oh, the things I've seen! You can't imagine the half of it . . ."

"Are you happy?" Adora wanted to know as they sat down on the porch swing. "All the travel, all the danger . . . are you happy with it?"

"It can be overwhelming at times," Thalmidor admitted, "but I wouldn't trade it for anything. And I've used at least eighty-eight percent of everything you taught me, Mother, so I was well-prepared. I take back any complaints I made about studying and learning. Even knitting—I saved a world with a well-knitted scarf, but that's a story for another day. Are you sure you're all right?"

"A little unnerved, actually," she confessed. "There was a strange man in my bathroom claiming to be your father and I took it at face value—no probing questions, no hearing that awful racket you can usually pick up a planet away, nothing . . ."

Thalmidor stood and remarked, "Well, next time you'll be more careful and will know what to do. And here comes Father! Did you find anything?"

The Doctor sighed. "Artron energy fades after ten to twelve hours, so all I can say for sure is that the intruder was a time-traveller. I suppose he could have been a different me, but it wasn't one of my past regenerations; I would have remembered and I only knew how to get here because of Thalmidor. I'll have to go over the incident with you in detail, Adora, but we can do that in private."

"Before we go, I have to pick out something for the bride-to-be; what mother-in-law would I be to show up empty-handed?"

"Take her some flowers from the garden, Mother," Thalmidor suggested. "Snethiss is from 90th century Earth and in her time only the super-rich can afford fresh flowers. It'll impress her and her family a ton."

"I'm not trying to impress anyone," Adora protested, but she made it a point to choose flowers that were at the height of their glory. She took a while, but neither of them tried to get her to hurry. "All set," she said finally.

The Doctor came over and took her hand. "I set an alarm in your house to show if someone tries to get in while you're gone; it'll send a signal to my TARDIS and we'll know. Also, Thalmidor and I will stay with you once you get home, probably for a few weeks. We can't be too careful, you know . . ."

"Thank you," Adora told him. "Well, on to the wedding!"


	2. Chapter 2

2—Playing Dress-Up

"What does one wear to a 90th century Earth wedding?" Adora asked as she entered the TARDIS. "Is there a screen where I can look it up?"

The Doctor was hanging his coat on the coat rack. "No need for all that," he told her cheerfully. "The TARDIS will have suitable garments waiting for you in the Wardrobe Room. I told her where and when we're going so she'll have already prepared some offerings. Just go in and start looking to your left. Thalmidor, you can take your mother's suitcase to her room. It's next to the Wardrobe Room, but leave it outside the door; same space rules we have all the time."

"Space rules?" Adora asked.

The Doctor explained, "On the TARDIS we have rules about everyone having their own safe, private space and we don't intrude on those spaces if we can avoid it. A bedroom is obvious, but the workshop is one of mine, Thalmidor has his own kitchen, Kenarn has an art studio . . ."

Adora was surprised. She turned to her son and asked, "A kitchen all your own? What type of cuisine is your speciality?"

Thalmidor blushed and mumbled, "I like to bake."

"He's just being bashful; he's a first-class pastry chef," the Doctor said proudly. "He made Kenarn's wedding cake; it's a twelve-tiered monster of a dessert, let me tell you . . ."

Thalmidor looked up and warned, "Father, remember our deal—you don't even go in the _room_ it's in until they start to cut it. I'm not putting in all that work just for you to trip and smash it before the reception's begun. He did once, Mother; it was on the planet Tytar and we'd just arranged the wedding to stop a civil war. Ten layers, Mother, _ten_ —all lost in an instant. I wanted to shoot him myself and as for the bride's family . . . well, let's just say we did a _lot_ of running that day. I would have set up a force-field this time, but Father _promised_ . . ."

Adora laughed long and loud. "Just as well we never had a ceremony then, Doctor—my family would have thrown you out of the Dome if you had made a scene like that at our wedding."

Thalmidor looked surprised. "You and Father didn't have a proper wedding ceremony?"

The Doctor shook his head. "It was supposed to be the premier event of the season, but our families had some sort of row about who had to sit where or some other nonsense and refused to speak to each other, so we cancelled the whole thing. I don't know about you, Adora, but I was kind of pleased we didn't have to go through all that rigamarole."

"You might have been, but my mother didn't stop bringing it up for decades, even after you were gone. 'We wanted you properly joined', 'all that expense gone to waste', 'it's such a shame' . . . makes me shiver just thinking of it. Well, I'm going to go see what I'll be wearing; back in a few!"

Adora went to the Wardrobe Room and eyed the choices. All the gowns were purple, from a breezy lavender shade to a rich, royal violet. Each had one long, fitted left sleeve and a puffy, short right one. There was a red-beaded scoop neckline and the skirt flared at the knee with a brown crinoline sticking out underneath. Adora thought they were all awful but knew that the TARDIS had done its best. She chose the lavender dress so it would set off her hair, then asked shyly, "Is there a rule on footwear?"

There was a blur as the TARDIS moved things into position, and Adora saw a rack stuffed with shoes. All were one-inch heels in an extraordinary array of different greens. Adora winced, thinking how badly the dress would clash with the shoes, but it couldn't be helped and she felt the ensemble was a train wreck already. She selected a pair of forest green shoes so dark they were almost black, then said, "Thank you ever so much; I would have been lost on my own."

The TARDIS hummed contentedly and Adora left.


	3. Chapter 3

3—Meeting Old Friends and New Enemies

Adora brought the flowers with her, looking for a way to keep them fresh. On her way to the Console Room she ran into Thalmidor and asked, "What can I do for these so they don't wilt?"

"You'll need a stasis box, a small one. I might have one in my kitchen; I often use fresh flowers for decorations and a stasis box holds everything suspended in time until it's needed. Come right this way . . ."

Adora followed him through the halls and into a large, spotless kitchen. On one of the work areas there was a three-dimensional projection of a gigantic object. "Is that Kenarn's cake?" she asked, amazed at the complexity.

"There it is," Thalmidor pronounced, no longer shy. "I call it 'Big Bubba'. Silver for virginity . . . Snethiss is terrified people will think she and Kenarn have been 'fooling around' before the wedding, so she insisted. There's red accents for the groom, purple for the mothers, though you already found that out, bronze for the fathers—and wasn't _that_ one hard to work in . . ."

"It's immense," she gasped. "How many people are coming?"

"We're not actually sure. Father was told there weren't enough people coming from Kenarn's side of the family, so he was 'strongly encouraged' to invite some of his friends. Even if only half of them show we'll still load up a football stadium. Only the closest family are allowed to the actual wedding, though. Just you and Father, me, Snethiss' mother and fathers and her sisters, plus the bride and groom. That makes ten all together."

"How many friends did your father invite?" Adora asked, a little hesitantly.

"We went _everywhere._ Tons of places on Earth, of course, then to some out-of-the way backwaters . . . I think he invited the whole population of one planet we went to, but I'm not certain. All I know is he had to buy out an entire year's worth of universal translators from Mycov Seven, just in case. Good thing there's an excellent return policy."

"Goodness," Adora said faintly. "He's not transporting them all too, is he?"

"He's leaving that to Uncle Jack; he's the head of Torchwood Three-Twelve and all of the guests have to register through him. Snethiss' fathers are diplomats, so it's high-security and they're used to aliens. Here you go—for the flowers."

"Thank you, Thalmidor. What will you be wearing for the big day?"

"I haven't decided yet. Only the parents, the bride and the groom are supposed to go formal for a 90th century wedding. I can wear what I want and Father said brown's a shade of bronze if you think about it, so Kenarn's _counting_ on you to be dressed appropriately."

"Drat your father," Adora gritted her teeth. "He probably _showers_ in that suit. Should I go get changed now?"

"Oh, no. Tonight's the rehearsal. You'll get to meet everyone, I have to practice my speech for tomorrow and then there's the parties to go to . . ."

"Parties?"

"Yeah, they still do bachelor and bachelorette parties; they're a big deal. Kenarn's going to disguise the TARDIS and have his party here, while Snethiss has her party at her grandmother's country club. Even though only a few people go to the actual wedding, all the other relatives and friends go to the rehearsal, the party and the reception. Just be glad you don't have to pay for the evening's festivities; as best man I have to pick up the tab on Kenarn's end. Let me tell you, I was not pleased when I heard that."

"Do I have to dress up for the party?"

"Actually, you're supposed to dress down for one of these. It's all about having one last wild ride before you settle down and get to business. There will be a big cocktail party first, then the rehearsal and lastly everyone is split by gender to their separate parties."

"I suppose what I have on is presentable enough."

"You look fine. The important thing is to be your normal, calm, reserved self. Father's completely off the chain and Kenarn's not much better, so you and I have to balance it out."

Thalmidor took what looked like a thick painter's palette and a set of bowls out of his massive stasis box. He grabbed some spoons and measured out a little of the contents of each bowl into a separate section of the palette, placing a small lid on each. "Emergency icings in all the cake colors, just in case there's a problem. Sometimes the color fades, or you get a little smearing or imperfection."

He put the palette in a shallow blue box along with some instruments Adora couldn't identify, then put everything away. He put a lid on the box and announced, "All set. We'd better see if we've landed so I can remind Father to behave himself."

Adora smiled as she gave Kenarn a hug. He was more handsome than ever with his light brown hair and hazel eyes. "I'm so happy for you, Kenarn . . . where is the blushing bride-to-be?"

Kenarn jerked his head to the left. "Snethiss is the tall one in the gold dress; she can't wait to meet you. Her mother's next to her, the bald one . . . she needs strong chemotherapy for a rare condition and refuses to wear a wig, but they say she's out of danger now. Father and her fathers are over in the corner probably talking about the Crespallion; her fathers travel there all the time in their positions. What do you have with you?"

"They're flowers from my garden for Snethiss. I thought I could give them to her now."

"Mother, that's so kind. We've gotten a lot of joint wedding presents so I'm sure she'll like having something that's just for her. She's the middle child, so she gets forgotten a lot."

Kenarn turned around and waved. "Snethiss, it's Mother! Come say hello, she brought you something wonderful!"

Snethiss was a powerfully built, dazzling woman. Her almond-shaped golden brown eyes were a good compliment to her dark ebony, flawless skin and short, tight-curled hair. She was more than a foot taller than Adora, who craned her neck to get a good look at her face. Snethiss had full, lush lips, a rather flat nose, and brilliant white teeth. She gave a shy smile and said in a light alto voice totally at odds with her larger-than-life body, "Hello; I am Snethiss. It's good to see you in person; what should I call you—Mother, or something else . . ."

"Adora is fine, Snethiss. I'm glad I could come. Where did you happen to meet Kenarn?"

"I met him here on Earth. My fathers are both diplomats and they were being held hostage by some rough thugs who wanted to disrupt some very delicate negotiations. Kenarn saved them, with a little help from his family and Torchwood. From there we built a friendship and it just blossomed. He's spent a few years working for Torchwood, but we plan on leaving Earth after the wedding. Kenarn has a little space cruiser and we're heading for Titan."

Kenarn wrapped an arm around Snethiss' waist and said proudly, "Snethiss is a professional ice hockey player, a defenseman. She was MVP last season and her team just won the Interstellar Ice Hockey Championship; beat out everyone within twelve star systems. She's going to be playing on Titan next year for the Frost Giants and after that we'll just have to see."

Adora asked, "What about your father and Thalmidor? Did you spend any time with them?"

Kenarn replied, "I lasted for about twelve years but it got to be too much, so I settled here and got a job, then met Snethiss and her family and you know the rest. I'm not cut out for being a wanderer; I want to settle down somewhere and be a kept man."

Snethiss giggled. "Just because I chose some supposed 'nobody' to marry everyone thinks he's after my money. Truth is, he's a financial wizard; he invested all my endorsement money in some lucrative ventures that have really paid off. He's also an established artist; he does handmade pottery and clay sculptures."

Kenarn added, "Father's going to drop us off at Izix for our three-month honeymoon and then he'll bring us back here in time for the trip out to Titan. It's traditional for the bride and groom to have a long honeymoon these days and we timed it to be during the off-season so Snethiss can really enjoy herself."

Adora handed Snethiss the flowers. "I'm happy for you both," she said, smiling.

Snethiss opened the stasis box. "Flowers—real flowers! Mum, come see . . . Kenarn's mother brought me real flowers. They smell wonderful; were they hot-house grown?"

"They're fresh from my garden," Adora told her.

The woman with no hair approached them, holding out her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you. I am Rubia and you are . . ."

Adora shook the woman's hand. "I'm Adora. It's good to meet you. Is there anything I should be doing as mother of the groom?"

"Not at all; everything's under control, just have a good time at the party tonight. I don't want you feeling all awkward about being with strangers; we're about to be family so we need to get to know each other properly. My husbands Wal and Hoosh are over with your husband talking about some boring interplanetary nonsense. I keep telling them this is a social function and not a work setting, but they haven't gotten the hint yet. Wal? Hoosh? Stop talking business for a moment and come meet Kenarn's mother."

Wal and Hoosh turned out to be identical twins. They were both short, middle-aged men with dark skin, balding spots and thick mustaches and loud, obnoxious voices. Adora chatted with them for a minute or two before Rubia took her away to meet some other guests. Rubia murmured, "I have to introduce you Prius, Wal and Hoosh's mother; she's the clan matriarch. She's an old, stuck-up dragon of a woman who thinks she has to run the show, but don't let her unsettle you."

Prius reminded Adora very much of her own mother—haughty, dignified, and possessing an acid tongue. The old woman sneered, "I'm glad to finally meet an acceptable relative of Kenarn's, one who won't cause a scene or make the family look bad; that is, if you _are_ acceptable. His brother is too laid back and the father—great stars, I just don't know. Kenarn had better appreciate this opportunity; he doesn't realize how much of a privilege it is for him to marry Snethiss. My granddaughter could have chosen men or women from throughout the galaxy to take her hand in marriage and though I'm disappointed she didn't choose within her station, she at least chose someone intelligent. A Torchwood operative will have to do. And you Adora . . . did you grow up on Earth?"

Adora smiled inside. She knew this personality type well and could trounce the old witch any day. She answered loftily, "I am a Time Lady from Gallifrey. I am of the Arcalion Chapter and my father was Chancellor through three regenerations."

Prius threw up her hands. "At last!" she exulted. "Someone with breeding, with class . . . someone who understands the importance of decency and decorum. There is hope for your son and my granddaughter yet, Adora! We will prevail, we will keep our standards high, we will succeed! Obviously your son has been hiding his true assets up to now. But I haven't even asked . . . are you in favor of the match?"

Adora was tempted to exchange barb for barb with the woman, but she knew Kenarn wouldn't approve. She answered, "I have only known Snethiss for a few minutes, but Kenarn looks well and seems very happy with her, so I can do no less than to bless the union."

Prius took Adora's hand and murmured, "I'm sure you have to mingle with the others for appearance's sake, but before the reception's over I'm hoping we can have a good chat, Adora. We are kindred spirits, and I'm sure we'll see eye-to-eye on how to direct our families toward greatness."

 _Stuck-up, self-satisfied hag!_ Adora thought to herself.

Adora was taken through the rounds of relatives and dignitaries present, trying to keep track of the names of family she thought she would have the most contact with. She went along introducing herself to this being and that being until she saw someone she thought was familiar; a lavender octopus with a silver bow in her hair . . . "Lunnie!?"

"Who's that?" the octopus asked.

"Lunnie, it's me—Adora! I've regenerated since I last saw you, but it's me."

"Adora? What a wonderful surprise! You look well . . ."

Adora smiled. "I _am_ well. The groom, Kenarn—he's my son."

"That's wonderful," Lunnie told her. "I'm here with my wife; she's an attaché for one of the ambassadors. And your husband? Did you work things out?"

"Well enough. He's here somewhere . . ."

"Well, as you are the mother of the groom I wish you and your son great happiness," Lunnie declared. "Excuse me while I go get another drink."

Adora gave Lunnie a hug. "It was good to see you. Have a wonderful time."

Adora moved on through the crowd and soon ran into Thalmidor with an ant-like creature. "Mother, I want to introduce you to one of my friends. This is Baz, he's a Nugent from Elstred. We don't see each other a lot, but I had Father invite him."

Baz held out an appendage. "Very nice to make your acquaintance, ma'am," he said with a strong American Southern drawl. "Your sons' father has saved the Nugent race on several occasions. It is only fitting that we extend the claw of friendship in return. I am barely out of the larval caves, but even I can appreciate quality relationships with such as your family. Congratulations on your son's wedding."

"Excuse us, Mother . . . we're heading to the chapel for the rehearsal. Baz is a budding photographer and wants to take pictures for the event, but only one licensed photographer can be at the wedding itself and if you only knew the trouble it takes to get licensed . . ."

"I better come with you; I don't know my way," Adora said doubtfully.

"Sure, come along! Unless you want to try and find Father . . ."

Adora sighed. "You're right; I had better collect him."

She waded her way through the mass of humanity, looking for any sign of her husband. As she passed by a set of heavy drapes, a hand shot out and pulled her back. "What—"

She found herself face-to-face with the man she had seen the night before. She was careful to observe everything about him this time—his Time Lord robes which identified him as a Keeper of the Matrix, his arrogant stance, the lust in his eyes. She would have screamed but she kept herself under control. She needed as much information as she could gather about this intruder to report to the Doctor so they could identify him and what threat he posed. "What do you want?" she snapped.

The stranger was digging his nails into Adora's wrist. "You didn't wait. I told you to _wait!"_

Adora tried to pull away. "I don't know who you are, but the Doctor arrived before you did and brought me here. Now let me go!"

"I _am_ the Doctor," the man hissed. "I _told_ you that! You have always loved the ocean, your Earthly husband's name was James and had a spider birthmark on his ankle, and you ate two eggs, poached, with lemon scones every day for breakfast when we were married on Gallifrey. It's _me_ , Adora! Why didn't you _wait?"_

"I told you . . . another you showed up, brought me here. Why did you follow me? Why do you need me so badly? What do you _want!?"_

The Doctor still had a strong grip on her wrist. "You have to come with me, now."

Adora shook her head. "No. Wait a day, just long enough for the wedding—"

The Doctor's cold blue eyes bore into her. "There isn't time, Adora. I need you to come with me now, right this minute. There isn't time for weddings or meeting old friends or even a stop to the bathroom. You have to come, and it has to be now. There are dire consequences otherwise."

He was pulling her toward the open French Doors leading to the lawn. She dug her feet in and pulled back. "No. You have a time machine. You even have a copy of yourself here, one that can help. Let's find him and the three of us—"

The Doctor stopped pulling. "Which me is here? Who am I to you?"

"You're tall, freckled, and have wild hair and eyes."

The Doctor shook his head angrily. "No. Absolutely not. He'll ruin everything."

He started pulling again, harder now. Adora couldn't stop herself from being dragged off. She tried a bluff. "Keep pulling and I'll scream loud enough to wake Rassilon himself, dead or not. If you want me that badly, you can wait until the wedding's over. Either way, we are through with this conversation! What's it going to be?"

The Doctor pulled her face to his and kissed her savagely, bruising and hurtful. He said low, "I will be back, Adora. I will be back and you _will_ come with me."

He gathered up his robes and darted into the night.

Adora thought again of screaming, but there was no point now. She watched him go, then stepped from behind the curtain and scanned the crowd for the Doctor, her Doctor. She was scared and her wrist ached and she wanted nothing more than to curl up in a corner and cry, but she wasn't going to give that stunted squid the satisfaction.

She wasn't, until she saw Kenarn and Snethiss coming toward her, looking alarmed. "Mother, where have you been? Everyone's searching for you . . ."

She looked into the eyes of her son, then burst into tears.


	4. Chapter 4

4—Mistakes Are Made . . .

Adora found herself in a large, comfortable hotel room with the Doctor at her side. Everyone had rushed through the rehearsal after the news that she had been attacked. She had protested the whole time that it wasn't necessary, that she was fine and no one had to fuss, but no one had listened. They had iced and healed her sprained wrist and then she and the Doctor were hustled to the hotel where she would be staying as the TARDIS was unfortunately in use. The Doctor had almost insisted on canceling the bachelor party so he could utilize his craft, but Adora had absolutely refused to wreck her son's wedding over the issue. "You'll be with me the whole time; you can keep me safe. Don't ruin things for Kenarn, please . . ."

The Doctor sat down in a chair after he made Adora lie on the bed. "Tell me again."

"I was looking for you and he pulled me behind the drapes. He was in proper robes and just as I described him to you. He was insisting that I come with him and tried to drag me out, but I threatened to scream and he left."

"What kind of robes?"

"Gallifreyan, of course. A Matrix worker."

"He said he was me?"

"Yes, several times. He knew all about James and my habits back on Gallifrey. It was either you or someone who knew a lot of intimate details about our lives, too many details to be just anyone."

The Doctor sighed mightily. "I think I know who this individual is, but if I'm right it's a _very_ serious problem and you are in extreme danger."

"You think it's Koschei, don't you? That selfish little—"

"No, worse. Adora, this might be the Valeyard. He's me, but not exactly me; he's an amalgamation of all the worst of me and my other selves shoved into one entity. He's as clever as me, as driven as I am, he has the same skill set . . . only he's completely twisted and evil."

Adora was confused. "What use am I to him?"

"Trophy, possession, rape . . . perhaps all three."

Adora started trembling. "What can we do?"

"As soon as that lot in the TARDIS clear out for the night I'm changing her locks to open with only my regeneration's signature. If I have to regenerate again any time soon either Thalmidor or Kenarn will have to open the TARDIS. I need to let a few people know what's happened, Jack in particular and after the wedding you're going to have to come with me for at least a while and don't argue; it's not just for your protection but also for the boys. If he gets hold of your DNA he can find ways to hurt them as well."

Adora started to weep again. She would have to leave her home, her safe, predictable life, her peace and stability . . . all for some rotten, disgusting squid of a man. She would never sacrifice her children's well-being for her own selfishness of course, but this wound cut so deeply . . .

The bed dipped as the Doctor sat down to hold Adora close as she cried. After a while he said, "It won't be forever. We'll neutralize the Valeyard and then we'll get you home again. It won't be forever, I promise. Now, I need to make a call."

Adora shut her eyes as the Doctor went out on the balcony to get some privacy. Before she realized it she was asleep.

When Adora woke up, she heard the Doctor talking to a handsome man in an RAF greatcoat, blue pants and shirt, suspenders and some sort of wrist-strap. The Doctor whispered exultantly, "What an idiot, leaving his TARDIS with you! Well, it's good fortune for us."

The man replied, "I thought it was weird that you had changed ships, but I just figured your TARDIS had finally met her end. He wasn't in the mood to chat, but he did ask about your wife. He didn't hurt her badly, did he?"

"A sprained wrist and an unwanted snog, no worse. If he had gotten her away, though . . . he's definitely interested in her sexually."

"You're sure he doesn't just want her for leverage?"

"No, Jack. He came upon her in the shower before we got here and his demeanor was definitely one of lust; she told me all about it. Besides, if I'm attracted to her in that way, it's certain he is too. We've got to keep him away from Adora at all costs."

"Should I have one of my people assigned to her 'round the clock? I have several good—"

"No offense, Jack, but I have to be with Adora myself. I know you have good people; I just can't risk anything happening."

"None taken. What about me? I would make sure that Valeyard guy didn't hurt her; even if I had to die we both know—"

"I'm sure you would, Jack, but I need you to track the Valeyard down and detain him if you find him. _Just_ detain him, by the way; he has no regenerations so he'll die if you kill him and I need to know why he wants Adora so badly."

"I can't make a blanket promise like—"

A phone chirped. Jack answered it, saying "Harkness . . . calm down, Collins, and say it again . . . How long ago . . . You're sure the TARDIS was empty otherwise . . . I'll leave here in two minutes; call the team and meet me back at Headquarters, quick as you can . . . He's right here; I'll let him know myself. Right."

Jack looked the Doctor square in the eyes and said soberly, "That was Collins, one of my team; he and another operative were assigned to the TARDIS as security for the party. They were getting the last few stragglers out when a strange man claiming to be you came into the TARDIS, kicked everyone but your sons out and took off."

The Doctor smacked his forehead with his palm. "I knew it . . . I _knew_ it! I never should have let that party go on, not after what happened. Stupid, stupid, stupid! Adora, get up; the boys are in danger. We'll do introductions later. Where is that TARDIS, Jack?"

"It's at Torchwood headquarters; I had it moved for security purposes, but I didn't tell _him_ that; it was an on-the-fly decision."

Adora was to her feet as the Doctor spoke urgently. "We've got to get to that TARDIS as quickly as possible. Do you have transportation handy?"

Jack pointed at his wrist. "One Vortex Manipulator at your service."

"Adora, hold on to Jack, and I'll hold on to you."

They all got into an uncomfortable squished position and Jack told them, "Here we go!"

There was a ripple of black, a rainbow of shifting colors, and then they were hurled to the floor of a messy office. In one corner of the office was a mahogany bookshelf. "Can you get in without a key?" Jack asked.

The Doctor was looking for a keyhole. "I have one; TARDIS keys are coded using DNA patterns rather than just a simple physical lock. The physical key stores the bio-data of the carrier to permit entrance. Unless he's made some sneaky alterations, I should be able to use mine . . . there we go! Everybody in!"

Adora entered the strange TARDIS and had a good look. The Console Room was set up as a huge ballroom, with the time rotor serving the function of a chandelier suspended from the ceiling. Six tall chairs ringed the control panel, each made of ivory and thickly padded. As the door closed behind them the six chairs sank into the floor and were covered by hatches, and the center column started to rise and fall. "What's happening?" Adora cried out.

The Doctor rushed to the controls shouting, "No _no_ no _no_ no! Rassilon's beard, I am _thick_ ; it was a trap! He wanted us to go in here; now he has the whole family right where he wants them!"

"Maybe not," Jack told him. "There's still time for us to get out of here. Trouble is, my wrist-strap is low on power; I can only manage one of us."

"Adora, get out of here and as far away as possible."

"Doctor, you can't!" Adora insisted. "If you stay here there's no chance the boys can get rescued. If you're on the outside we at least have some hope."

"Doc," Jack said urgently, "Get clear. You'll be able to come up with an idea and save us all, and I'll keep Adora safe—with my last breath, Doctor . . . If he gets all of you, it's over. You've gotta go, Doc, and you know it . . ."

Reluctantly the Doctor reached for Jack's wrist-strap. "I'll save you all, I will! Jack . . ."

"With my last breath, Doctor; you know that."

Adora pulled off her bracelet. "Doctor—take my TARDIS key!"

The Doctor rushed over, grabbed the bracelet, kissed Adora on the cheek and vanished.


	5. Chapter 5

5—Control Issues

The Valeyard's TARDIS stopped moving. Adora looked at Jack and said, "Should we bother to hide or should we just wait and see what happens? He'll find us eventually . . ."

"And be put out when he does," Jack pointed out. "Let's see what we're dealing with and let him think he's got the upper hand. Your boys are out there somewhere as well; maybe they'll slow him down. Do you know anything about . . . wait, stupid question; of course you know about his strengths and weaknesses."

"Not really," Adora argued. "I never explored the Doctor's dark side; he was extremely good at minimizing and deflecting my probes into that part of him. He gets angry, oh, so angry, but he hides it very well at times. Also, each regeneration is a little bit different. This time around his anger is cold and quiet, he's impetuous, grandiose and arrogant and he won't take 'no' for an answer, which is one of the few things he _can_ be patient about. For example, it's been 106 years and he's still hoping I'll go traveling with him, no matter what I say or how I say it."

Just then the door of the TARDIS they were in opened, and Kenarn rushed in. He said quickly, "Mother, things—Uncle Jack! You're not supposed to be here . . . you're supposed to be protecting Earth; there's about to be a huge invasion . . ."

"According to who?" Jack demanded.

Kenarn looked at him strangely. "Father, of course . . . who else? He and Thalmidor are working on the TARDIS to rig up a solar deflector; the invaders are planning on using solar flares to wipe out all life on Earth. And Mother, he needs you to act as his wife and give him credibility as the President of the High Council of Gallifrey; he's got all the symbols like the circlet and everything . . . you'll have to get into robes and play the part. He didn't tell proper Father because he knew there would be an argument about who stayed and who went. As soon as Thalmidor's done I'm supposed to go back with him in Father's TARDIS and help proper Father . . ."

Adora and Jack looked at each other, then at Kenarn. Could it be true? Was it all just a big misunderstanding? Could it be that the Doctor was mistaken, that this was indeed a future version of himself and not his alter-ego? Jack asked cautiously, "And your father? Didn't the Valeyard expect him to come here?"

Kenarn shook his head. "He's _not_ the Valeyard; the Valeyard took his form from _this_ version of Father. Please, Mother . . . there isn't time! He's been trying to get to you for ages . . ."

Adora thought about what Kenarn was telling them, thought long and hard about the man who had come for her. She was absolutely certain that Kenarn was sincere, just as she was certain that this was no mere regeneration of her husband. The Valeyard was clever to get her sons involved with his scheme; three Time Lords against one Time Lady and a human were definitely odds stacked against her. She had a choice; she could go with the truth and refuse or she could play along and look for an opportunity to get her family safe. "Where and when are we?"

"We're still on Earth, but in a different time. This Father didn't want to go far; we've lost a lot of time already. We have to hurry!" Kenarn urged.

As they were coming out of the other TARDIS, Thalmidor came running up. "Coordinates, Kenarn, for when we take the TARDIS. Mother should see them, too. Uncle Jack!"

Kenarn read, then gritted his teeth, a sign that he was upset. He handed the note to Adora. Written in Thalmidor's neat writing was:

 _This Father is wiring the TARDIS so it will explode the next time it materializes on a planet. He also has remote control of his own TARDIS, so we can't escape that way. Kenarn and I need to get to one of the other TARDIS control rooms and bypass this one. I was able to turn off the TARDIS shields without him noticing so if we have to we can move rooms around and hide quickly. Mother is the one he wants; we have to protect her and not leave her alone, but still find a way to prevent him blowing up the TARDIS._

Adora passed the note on to Jack, whose eyes narrowed. "When we get back on the TARDIS, make a run for it. I'll overpower the Valeyard, give you time . . ."

"But he'll kill you!" Adora protested.

Jack shrugged. "No big deal. It won't matter."

Adora was aghast. "Not matter!?"

"No time to explain, Mother, we need to get back; he'll be suspicious . . ."

The four stepped into the TARDIS, where the Valeyard was working on one of the control panels. He looked up and said in a surprised voice, "Jack! I could use your help over here. Boys, I want you to go get me some tools from my workshop . . . the mylogen torch, the big set of tesla ratchets, and the micro-clamps. Quick as you can, now . . ."

The boys looked at each other, then scampered off. Adora was right behind but as soon as the boys were out the door the Valeyard jumped in front of her, taking out his sonic screwdriver and doing something to the door. Jack rushed at him, but the Valeyard pulled a laser weapon out of his robes and shot Jack at point-blank range. The man crumpled to the floor, dead instantly. "Jack!" Adora cried out.

The Valeyard gave her an evil grin. "So concerned, my dear? Surely they told you . . . or, perhaps not. Stay right where you are, or I'll have a wicked present for you when I'm done."

The Valeyard pulled some handcuffs out of his robes and a length of thin steel cable. He dragged Jack over to one of the coral struts and wrapped the cable around and through the strut. He laced the cable through the handcuffs, snapped the handcuffs on Jack, and finally tied the cable tightly at one end so Jack was secured.

"I hadn't expected him to come along," the Valeyard commented. "I was rather looking for your husband, but no matter now; this will do." He came over to Adora and slid a finger down her cheek. "We'll go to my TARDIS now, my dear; I had hoped to use one of the boys to gain some more regenerations, but we're a bit pressed for time."

He finished working at the control panel, then held something up. "This is a remote detonator; one false step and your, sorry, _our_ boys will be nothing but a crater in the ground. You will come with me, you will re-populate our race and—"

Adora couldn't believe her ears. "Re-populate? What!?"

The Valeyard smiled at Adora. "What did your husband tell you I wanted you for—a bit of sport? Oh, no—I'm playing a much bigger game, Adora, and you are absolutely essential. You're going to be busy popping out Gallifreyan babies until I can construct a proper Loom. I will be the leader of a whole new generation of Time Lords—complete with a TARDIS for each of them; well, at least the first one hundred fifty or so. We will live on the planet where I found the TARDIS nursery, we shall—"

Adora shook her head. "How did you get regenerations? The Doctor said you—"

"The Doctor underestimated me, as he usually does. I exited the Matrix before the particle disseminator blew up, and I killed one of the Keepers of the Matrix and stole his regenerations. Very clever, I must say—and I still haven't used any of them! Your Doctor can't help but have trouble _find_ him and be forced to muddle through, whereas _I_ seek it out, and prevail!"

The Valeyard grabbed Adora by the hair and marched her to the TARDIS doors. Before they could leave, however, the doors slammed shut and the time rotor started to rise and fall.

"What?" the Valeyard snarled. He ran back to the console and started working with the controls. "No! Those blasted . . . _no!"_

"What's happening?" Adora cried, but the Valeyard gave no answer; he was still trying to wrest back control of the TARDIS. Suddenly, Adora heard Jack's voice calling softly, "Adora . . . Adora, can you get me out?"

Adora jumped a foot in the air, then whirled around to see Jack, still handcuffed and tied with the cable, but very much alive. She jumped up and untied and removed the cable, but had no way to open the handcuffs. "I can't get you out," she told him. "I'd need a key."

"I should have a key in my pants pocket, the right one. Just . . . hey, sweetie, don't get so aggressive; I have delicate equipment down there and though I might like it rough . . ."

Adora went scarlet, but she fished out the key. She was about to unlock Jack, but she heard a warning growl from the Valeyard. "Do that and I'll kill us all right now. Step away and have a seat next to the coat rack. Do it!"

Adora went and sat down while the Valeyard continued to fight with the controls. At last he flipped a switch and shouted, "Ha! Let them try to get around _that!_ Adora, you're coming with me; we have an engagement."

He stalked over to Adora, hauled her to her feet, shot Jack again, then pulled Adora into the interior of the TARDIS.


	6. Chapter 6

6—Here Comes the Bride

The Valeyard dragged Adora through the halls of the TARDIS, first opening one door, then another. He was obviously looking for something, but what that was Adora could not tell. At last he pulled open a door and stopped, growling, "About time. Get in here and stay out of the way, unless you want me to start the re-populating stage right now."

Adora went into the room and hunkered down on the floor next to the entrance.

The Valeyard used the sonic screwdriver on the lock so she couldn't get out, then started plowing through the collection of parts and objects sitting on the floor in neat totes around the room. When he had found the pieces he required the Valeyard began work at one of the narrow metal workbenches in one corner of the room, muttering to himself in an intense half whisper of some unknown language. To Adora's immense relief her captor became so engrossed in his work that he largely ignored her presence after a few minutes.

After two hours he said, "There. It'll either work grandly, or fail miserably. Either way, we are out of time; those brats will have control of the TARDIS again soon."

The Valeyard took his construction with them as he grabbed Adora by the arm, unlocked the door, and went back into the passage. He chose the first room on the left, a tiny pantry, and pushed Adora in first. Then he went in himself, shutting the door firmly behind them.

"I highly advise that you not disturb me for the next several minutes, or we are both going to die a very quick but rather painful death. I mean it, Adora—don't interfere."

Adora debated her options but self-preservation won out. She moved away from him to give him space, pressing herself uncomfortably against the back wall of the room.

"What are you doing?" she asked as casually as she could.

The Valeyard was working busily with the device he had constructed. "I'm trying to jettison this room of the TARDIS and at the same time have my TARDIS pick us up. If I get it so much as a millionth of a meter off, we bounce out into the Vortex and get pulled to atoms. Now shut it!"

He finished his work, put the device between them, and told her, "I suppose you had better hold onto something."

Adora grabbed at the set of shelves to her right and held on. Activating the sonic screwdriver the Valeyard directed the soft beam of light at his creation. There was a bright flash, an instant of black, and then a terrific crash as they dropped down into the Valeyard's TARDIS. Adora hit her head and lay there, dazed, while the Valeyard crawled out of the remains of the pantry and looked around. Adora could hear him laughing in a wild, crazed voice.

"I did it! I actually _did_ it! I am an _utter genius!_ No one can stop me, no one." He laughed again, then came back to the shards of the pantry and lifted Adora out.

She saw that they were in the ballroom/Console Room of the Valeyard's TARDIS, but in her eyes everything was blurry and wobbly. The Valeyard laid her down on the floor as he went to the doors and flung them open.

"Welcome, Adora, to your new—"

In the next moment, Adora saw the Valeyard flying backwards through the air as he was hit hard in the chest by a furious, fast-moving, Snethiss. The Valeyard's head hit the edge of the console with a crack and he dropped to the floor.

"Where's Kenarn!?" Snethiss howled, grabbing the Valeyard by the front of his robes. "What have you done with my husband, you stunted squid!"

"He's not here, Snethiss," Adora managed to say. "He's on his father's TARDIS, not this one. He should be all right . . ."

The Doctor rushed in and put a hand on Snethiss' shoulder. "You might have overdone it, Snethiss; he's clean out. Snethiss, listen to Adora; Kenarn will be all right and he'll be back soon." He then turned his attention to Adora. "I set the Vortex Manipulator to get to . . . "

His voice trailed off as he realized Adora was still lying on the floor. "But never mind all that; you're hurt!"

Adora would have argued it wasn't that bad but even she was not that stubborn. She tried to sit up, but immediately regretted it; everything swam and warped and she vomited on the floor, trembling violently, then fell back. The Doctor hurried over to her, saying calmly, "You'll be all right, Adora, just lie quietly. We'll get you seen to; you'll be all right."

She tried to sit up once more before everything went misty grey, then black.

"You're _sure_ you're all right, Mother? We don't have to do this now."

Adora sighed and answered for the millionth time, "I'm fine, Kenarn. I came to see you married and that is exactly what I intend to do. Everyone's ready, I rested an entire day, I'm all dolled up in this horrible dress and I'll be _fine_."

"Father said you might need some extra time, Mother; we're just being cautious," Thalmidor chimed in, taking her hand. "It would never do to have you pass out or something; people are concerned enough as it is."

Adora thought for a moment, then shook her head. "It'll be all right, boys. Believe me, if there was any danger of me losing consciousness or embarrassing myself further I would let you know." She searched for a quick change of subject and asked, "Where's your father? Is he ready?"

"Father went back in the TARDIS for something after the UNIT people took the Valeyard away," Thalmidor answered. "I hope he's going to be out soon; everyone's willing to give _you_ all the time you need, but I don't think they feel the same way about Father . . ."

Just then the Doctor bounded into the room, all smiles, dressed in a black tuxedo with a bronze waistcoat and bronze bow tie. All three of them gaped and stared at him. "What?" he asked. "You didn't really think I was serious about keeping my suit, did you? This is a special occasion, and believe it or not I do have at least a little fashion sense. Are we ready?"

Adora got to her feet and kissed Kenarn on the cheek. "I think we are. Let's get you married off, Kenarn, before something else happens!"

The wedding was glorious. Snethiss looked stunning in her silver strapless mermaid gown, Kenarn was dapper in his red tuxedo with black trim, and the picture-taking after the ceremony was relatively quick and painless. The reception was a wild, but not injury-produced blur, and the family managed to drop Kenarn and Snethiss off at Izix in the right place and time so they could start their honeymoon.

Lastly, Adora was deposited at her home. The Doctor walked her out of the TARDIS holding her hand tightly. "Thalmidor and I will be staying overnight just to make sure you're all right; a concussion like that can be a serious thing and you really should sleep for an hour or two more. We'll be quiet as church-mice."

"That's all right," Adora assured him. "I'm used to sleeping through noise; there's a thunderstorm most nights here. Where's Thalmidor?"

The Doctor frowned. "Come to think of it, I haven't seen him since we left the wedding. I hope I didn't leave him with Snethiss and Kenarn . . ."

Before they could wonder further, Thalmidor came out of the TARDIS, a large box in his hands. He came up on the porch, presenting it to them ceremoniously. "This is for the two of you, Mother and Father, but we should take it inside."

Puzzled, the Doctor and Adora followed Thalmidor into the house and to the kitchen. They sat down at the table and watched as Thalmidor set down the box and took off the lid. There inside the box was a three-layered cake with grey frosting, tiny blue TARDIS-es, and small flowers in various colors.

Thalmidor said bashfully, "You told me you didn't have a proper wedding ceremony, so I figured you missed out the first time around, and . . ."

Adora couldn't help but tear up a little and the Doctor pulled Thalmidor in for a hug. "Very kind of you, son. Adora, you'll try a little, won't you?"

"It's Earl Grey icing, Mother, and the cake isn't very sweet . . ."

Adora smiled. "Somehow," she told them, "I don't think I'll mind."

***** Sequel to follow: Safe and Sound *****


End file.
